Every Prepper Needs Coconut Oil in Their Pantry

Let me start out by saying that I discovered coconut oil about a year ago. At the time, I was semi-knowledgeable about its qualities the most notable of which were that it was a heart healthy fat and that if stored properly, it had long shelf life. On the other hand, I also knew it smelled and supposedly tasted like coconut and that it was expensive, ranking up there with a high-quality EVOO.

A year later I can honestly say that any hesitation I had regarding coconut oil has been set aside. I use it in cooking, as a skin moisturizer, and in those all-important healing salves that come out of my kitchen every month or so.

This stuff is so good that I recently purchased a 5-gallon tub from my favorite purveyor, Tropical Traditions. Five gallons! Can you imagine?

Of course, once I shared that little tidbit on the Sunday Survival Buzz, the emails started coming in. What is coconut oil? What is the difference between the various types? How long does it last? What do I use it for?

Holy smokes; I had no idea there would be so much interest in coconut oil. Given the interest and the need to put some credible information together for you, I turned to one of my blogging colleagues for help in coming up with information on coconut oil for preppers.

Coconut Oil: A Prepper’s Panacea

What shelf stable item can be used (nutritiously) in place of butter, shortening, and cooking oil, and then pressed into duty as a health and beauty aid?

Coconut oil!

One of my favorite pantry items is my big jar of organic virgin coconut oil, and the crazy thing is, I don’t even like coconuts. If you slip me a cookie that has those nasty little flakes of coconut in them, I’ll probably spit it out – I really, emphatically don’t like coconut! I am stressing this point because coconut oil has a place in the kitchen of even the most die-hard coconut hater (like me!).

Sometimes people who are seeking a healthier lifestyle make the mistake of avoiding all fats. Sure, eating a bag of Doritos covered in cheese is terrible for you (in more ways than just the fat content!) – but certain fats can be a healthy, and very necessary, part of your diet. In fact, these “healthy fats” can actually aid in weight loss, if that is your goal.

All coconut oils are not created equally. There are a few basic types of coconut oil, and it’s important to get the “right” kind for your needs in order to reap the full benefits of your purchase.

Refined or Unrefined?

First, you’ll need to decide between refined and unrefined. This relates to the process of extracting the oil.

A refined coconut oil is separated by heat. Refined coconut oil is more heat-stable and can be used in cooking methods like frying. Many people opt for refined coconut oil because it is flavorless and odorless. The shelf life of a refined coconut oil, according to the expiration dates is 18 months to 2 years. A refined coconut oil loses some nutritional benefits but how much really depends upon the refining process that is used.

Expeller Pressed: This is the traditional method of extracting coconut oil. No chemicals are used in this method – the oil is extracted by a machine which physically presses out the oil, then is deodorized by distilling it with steam. If you opt for a refined oil, look for “expeller pressed” on the label.

RBD: The RBD (refining bleaching deodorizing) process often uses chemical solvents like hexane to extract the oil. (Hexane is a toxic chemical that can be used to dissolve adhesive, cement and glue.) This process is generally performed on previously dried coconut kernel called copra, which is often made from lower quality or old coconuts.

An unrefined coconut oil is also called virgin or extra-virgin coconut oil. This oil has the light scent and flavor of coconut, which disappears somewhat when used in cooking. This type of coconut oil has the most nutritional benefits and the shelf life has been documented as anywhere from 2-5 years, to “indefinite”.

Health Benefits

The number one health benefit of coconut oil is that about 50% of it is lauric acid, an essential fatty acid that is only otherwise found naturally in such high levels in human breast milk. The human body turns lauric acid into monolaurin, which contains antiviral, antimicrobial, antiprotozoal and antifungal properties, so basically, it boosts your immunity in every possible way.

Is utilized by the body to produce energy in preference to being stored as body fat like other dietary fats.

Helps prevent obesity and overweight problems.

Applied topically helps to form a chemical barrier on the skin to ward of infection.

Reduces symptoms associated the psoriasis, eczema, and dermatitis.

Supports the natural chemical balance of the skin.

Softens skin and helps relieve dryness and flaking.

Prevents wrinkles, sagging skin, and age spots.

Promotes healthy looking hair and complexion.

Provides protection from damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation from the sun.

Helps control dandruff.

Does not form harmful by-products when heated to normal cooking temperature like other vegetable oils do.

Has no harmful or discomforting side effects.

Is completely non-toxic to humans.

Storage and Shelf Life

Coconut oil has a melting point of 76F/24C. If it is stored above that temperature it will be a liquid, and below it will be a solid. It doesn’t harm the coconut oil to be in the liquid state – keep in mind that coconuts originate from a tropical climate. The shelf life will be extended if the product is stored in a cool, dark place, however, if you store it in the refrigerator it will be rock hard. You can soften it by placing the closed jar in a pan of hot water.

If you are purchasing a large quantity of coconut oil (for example, a 1-5 gallon bucket) use a sterilized, completely dry spoon or scoop and dip out enough oil for regular use. I keep a 1 pint jar of coconut oil in the bathroom and a quart jar in the kitchen.

As mentioned elsewhere in the article, the shelf life declared by the coconut oil companies ranges from 18 months-2 years for refined coconut oil, and 2 years-4 years-beyond for virgin coconut oil.

How to use Coconut Oil in the Kitchen

Coconut oil can serve many purposes in the kitchen. If you use virgin coconut oil it will impart a very light coconut flavor to your cooking, but it isn’t really comparable to the flavor you get from adding flaked coconut. I suggest you get a small jar to test it out before investing in quantity, because there’s nothing worse than making a large investment in something that you find distasteful.

For the best results, raise or lower the temperature of your coconut oil to reach the consistency of the item you are replacing. For example, if you are baking and the recipe calls for shortening, briefly chill the coconut oil until it is a firm consistency. You can use coconut oil in place of:

Cosmetic and External Uses

This is the way coconut oil first made its way into my home – the cosmetic uses! When I was searching for a lotion and moisturizer that didn’t contain nasty parabens and petroleum products, while also being safe on my daughter’s extremely sensitive skin, I discovered coconut oil.

The pleasant scent is an added bonus. We use it in many different ways.

In my own stockpile, the only fats I have stored are organic virgin coconut oil and organic olive oil, with the majority being coconut oil. Because it is a nutritional gold mine, coconut oil is a very worthwhile substitute for many of the fats commonly used in our kitchens. I have limited storage space, also, so I like to store things that can serve many uses.

Once you try this multi-tasking superstar, you’ll wonder how you got by so long without it!

Daisy’s articles are widely republished throughout alternative media. You can follow her on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter, and you can email her at daisy@theorganicprepper.ca

A Note About Cosmetic and External Use of Coconut Oil

Whereas the claims of the efficacy of coconut oil run the gamut of reasonable too, well, for lack of a better term, “out there”, I feel compelled to share my personal experience with the stuff.

First of all, for the last 14 months, I have used coconut oil either plain or mixed in a salve with olive oil as a face and body moisturizer. Pricey department store lotions and potions are a thing of the past and my older (wrinkly), blemish prone skin has never looked better. BCO (before coconut oil) I would never ever venture outside in public without makeup but now, no problem. Coconut oil has given my skin a wonderful luminance that is difficult to describe.

I have even developed my own face serum that I use night and day to keep up the radiance.

You would think that the use of coconut oil would leave a greasy mess when it is applied topically. That has not been the case. I am sure I can dive further into the science to learn why and how it is absorbed so quickly but to me honest, all I care about is that it works.

I have also used coconut oil mixed topically with essential oils to treat the Survival Husband’s psoriasis and skin tags (you have to love that Oregano Oil!). I use it as a conditioner for my hair, and on my hands and nails. A little goes a long way.

The Final Word

More and more, coconut oil is finding its way into my diet. Surprisingly, the coconut taste is not noticeable which is good because even though I adore coconut cake, having the rest of my food coconut-flavored would not be very appealing.

I do have one recommendation for you. When you open that first jar or tub of coconut oil, use it to grill a nice melted cheese sandwich. Oh my! You will think you have died and gone to heaven; it is that good!

Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil: This is my preferred coconut oil. I love it so much I purchased a 5-gallon tub. Really, I did! I find it very silky to work with a love the taste when used in cooking. Note that no refrigeration is required and although it solid at room temperature, it melts at 76 degrees.

Nutiva Certified Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil: I am also pleased with the Nutiva Coconut Oil. It is pure-white, USDA-certified-organic, extra-virgin coconut oil that is cold-pressed from fresh coconuts within two hours of chopping. Available at Amazon.

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Comments

Yes, me too. I’m a total convert to coconut oil. Love fried chicken because now, I can eat it more often by frying instead of baking as I used to do.
Here’s another reason for buying more. My dogs love it! It’s so good for them too. This can explain it better than I can. 🙂
//www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/the-health-benefits-of-coconut-oil/

I use refined coconut oil for frying my eggs. I’ve noticed that they seldom pop hot oil out when cooking. I also have virgin oil and I sometimes put a small dab (maybe a quarter teaspoon) in a cup of coffee or hot chocolate. In hot chocolate it really makes a great drink! I don’t worry if I get some on my hands when I dip it out, just rub it in and go on. With lard and other cooking oils I always washed it off!

I just started oil pulling a week ago. I started with 5 minutes and worked up to 20 (yesterday was the first day at 20 minutes). I have been adding 1 drop of Oregano oil to about 1.5 tsp of coconut oil. Now that I have crossed the 20 minute barrier, I need to work up to 1 tablespoon.

I am an oil pulling newbie and plan to write about it after I have a bit more experience. Basically, it is the process of taking a TBL of oil (such as coconut oil) and swishing it around your mouth for 20 minutes before spitting it out. This removes bacteria and toxins from your mouth, pulling same from your body. I am impressed with the results so far although it does take some getting used to. Here is the best book I read on the topic. Plain English, no wild ass claims. Oil Pulling for Beginners

Gaye I know I have thanked you in the past for “putting me on to new things”, but none come close to the thanks I give you to telling me of Tropical Traditions coconut oil. I use it for everything. I put 1/4 cup each morning in my smoothie. I put it on my hair, (yes I have hair even at my age) use it in all my cooking. It may all be in my head, but it seems my bread taste better and lighter when I use coconut oil in my bread making.
I have the book “Virgin Coconut Oil” by Brian & Marianita Shilhavy. It is wonderful and is now my new bathroom reader.
I don’t know if you realize how much stock your readers and I put into your recommendations. My next purchase will be a pair of great hiking boot. How about an up date on the boots you and Shelly wore to Alaska. Do you still wear them, and do you still recommend them?

Interesting you should mention that because a few of my blogging colleagues have asked why I always promote the same old stuff. Truthfully, if I promote it, I am basically endorsing a product, right? I purchase a good 60% or more of the items I feature in the bargain bin of my articles. The local thrift store gets the items that do not pass muster.

Anyway, yes yes yes to the boots. That reminds me I need to see if they now carry them in my size. Shelly wears them on our hikes up Mount Young and swears they are the best work type/hiking boots he has ever worn and he has had some expensive boots over the years. Somehow Altai has managed to combine extreme comfort with a light weight and terrific waterproofing.

One more thing. I went to Amazon to find the “Virgin Coconut Oil” book you mentioned and found this one by co-author Marianita Shilhavy. Coconut Oil Deodorant Recipe with Essential Oils. Only 3 pages but straighforward. I must try this. Oh – also free at the moment.

I use a ton of coconut oil for almost everything. The irony of it is that I live in Panama in a tropical environment and there are coconut trees everywhere. Yet coconut oil is SO expensive, and occasionally you can find some at local farmer’s markets here… but they are never able to answer questions about how it is processed…. So….

I import my coconut oil from the states!! haha. I use Nutiva. I usually buy a gallon or so at a time, and lug it back with me after a trip to the US.

I also buy 5-gal CO pails from Tropical Traditions, plus other organic products. I got a case of Coconut Cream Concentrate also. I buy it when shipping is free. My last 5-gal pail was on sale for $185, plus free shipping. Can you believe that? I should have bought 2. I’ve been using CO for years. I also try to take in about 3 T a day, which also includes what I rub into my body. My most recent use is to use it as a medium for my essential oils for massaging into my body.

One thing Daisy didn’t mention is that CO bypasses the digestive system and goes right where we need it. That’s also why we can lose weight with it. I have to have a couple pails sitting around all the time to keep me happy, so I’ll know I’ll never run out. I do give it away to my kids who think it’s too epensive for them to buy.

You can vote every day. Actually, you vote twice – first vote is when you enter the site, the second is if you select the Backdoor Survival banner to exit the site. That way you give one vote to the ‘in’ column and one vote to the ‘out’ column.

It is pretty mild tasting but does have a slight coconut taste. Tropical Traditions seems milder and silkier to me than the Nutiva. Those are the only two brands I have used. We had salmon the other night (from Chile and not the Pacific) and basted it in coconut oil. It had a mild, nut like taste; difficult to describe. Perhaps someone else can add their thoughts?

Gaye, re Coconut Cream Concentrate…I add at least a tsp to a cup of water to make coconut milk; I add the concentrate to our smoothies; It’s also good spread on crackers or bread (if you like coconut taste). It’s creamy. It’s 70% CO. It would be good added to anything….Thank you for all your help, and I DID vote for you today and most everyday.

We have been buying the organic extra virgin coconut oil for about 5 years now and we love it. Before we started using it we both had high cholesterol and now our numbers are great. I use it in cooking, toothpaste, and homemade salves. I keep several jars on hand but I’m thinking I should up that more, as there are so many other uses for it that we haven’t begun to try.

Gaye and all, This being a site for prepper information, I fail to see how knowing and using CO is going to be of use in a long term shtf situation. Your preps are and will be finite. So, unless you live in an area where you can grow coconuts and can process them into CO, seems like fluff information. Just my two cents.

Jose – Staying healthy is component of preparedness and healthy fats should be a part of your diet. Coconut oil has a longer shelf life than any other oil or fat (except for unhealthy hydrogenated shortening) plus it has many other healing qualities when applied topically. Mixed with essential oils, you have a combination that can resolve many first aid and health woes when pharmaceutical drugs are not available (or desired).

Gaye, I will concede that being healthy IS a good part of prepping. But, so many readers (posters) on here appear to sound as though they are dependent on these luxuries, and for a long term scenario they are just that, because they are not sustainable. And I feel that all our preps should be based on sustainability, not just for the moment. Sure, use the CO for now, but, understand that it’s only a temporary item and that, in the long run, you need to find a more sustainable replacement. Otherwise, what’s the point?

I have read all of this article and I am very interested in the coconut oil and etc. what in all I can use it for and how . And especially on how to loss weight with it . I have very by skin on my legs and the bottom of my feet. I love two cook and I would love to know how I can use coconut oil to cook with in what every I am making. Thank you all a lot. God BLESS each one of you.

I substitute coconut oil for other oils in my cooking as a matter of course. If in doubt, start with a 50/50 blend with olive oil or butter. It will not take long until you become accustomed to the taste (which is ever to slight).

For dryness, you can use the coconut oil as is right from the tub. Take a bit and rub it on your palms first to liquify. Even better, though, make up a batch of Simple Salve or Miracle Healing Salve. You will be amazed, really, at the results.

Gaye, I’ve been using coconut oil for a lot of things now, but mostly “raw”. I was wondering if you could tell me if it retains all of it’s health benefits if cooked or used in the cooking process. Its time for me to make another batch of my homemade granola and I was planning to use coconut oil this time. I’m sure it would be healthier than my old recipe, but I would like to know if it loses any of the good attributes. thanks

just wanted to bring this to your attention. I went to Amazon for the coconut oil as you said in your article” Why coconut oil is needed in your stockpile”. A 54 oz container is 34.20 (.63 cents an oz)- a 2 pack of 54 oz containers (108 oz) is 72.58 (67 cents an oz) and a single container of 108 oz is 0nly 119.99. It says shipping over 35 dollars is free. It seems to me the shipping is included in the price. It is stupid to even sell a 2 pack totaling 108 oz for 72.58 and a single container for 119.99…..it costs 47.41 to ship a single container of the same weight? Loved your article, Thank you Keep up the great work.
Everett Reitz

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MEET GAYE

I'm Gaye, just an ordinary gal trying to make sense of our changing world. I am addicted to prepping, DIY projects, adult coloring books, and ballroom dancing. I live what I call a strategic life and believe you should too. Everyone needs to prepare for the worst and live for the best. Won't you join me?

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